Apparatus for a continuous casting flame cutting machine



Feb. 24, 1970 G. KALKHOF 3,497,195

APPARATUS FOR A CONTINUOUS CASTING FLAME CUTTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 196'? I v I i w 78 United States Patent 68,607 Int. Cl. B23k 7/04, 7/10; B22d 11/12 US. Cl. 266-23 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for cutting a continuous casting includes a flame cutting machine adapted to move synchronously with the casting, the flame cutting machine has burners for cutting the casting as it moves, releasable holding means are provided for the flame cutting machine to engage a portion of the casting to be cut off before completion of the cutting operation.

The present invention is concerned with an apparatus for a continuous casting flame cutting machine adapted to move synchronously with the casting, particularly for slabs, in which the cut is made from two sides by two burners moving towards one another.

Flame cutting machines of the above kind are usually adapted to travel on rails in the direction of casting. synchronisation of the longitudinal advance of the flame cutting machine with the speed of the casting is eifected during the cutting operation in a simple manner by clamping the flame cutting machine to the casting, which is guided on a roller table. After completion of the cutting, this clamping connection is released and the flame cutting machine travels in the reverse direction for a distance corresponding to a casting length, in order to commence a new cut. The separated casting is carried forward by the roller table and transported away for further use. In

order to prevent the casting from tipping over between V the rollers of the roller table and, consequently, interrupting the transport operation in an undesirable manner, as well as damaging the flame cutting machine, the length of the individual casting must correspond to at least twice the distance between the rollers of the roller table.

It is a disadvantage that the head portion of the casting is useless and must be removed before the actual cutting up of the continuous casting into the individual castings is commenced. However, this head portion is relatively short in comparison with the individual castings, so that the above-mentioned danger of tipping over and consequent damage to the burner exists here.

The problem with which the present invention is concerned is to obviate the above disadvantages. In order to solve this problem, it is essentially proposed, according to the present invention, that the flame cutting machine should be provided with a releasable holding device for the portion of the casting to be cut off, this device engaging with the portion to be cut off before completion of the cut.

The head portion of the casting can now be gripped by the holding device directly before or shortly after the commencement of the cutting operation, so that a turning or tipping of the head portion is avoided in an advantageous manner. After completion of the cutting operation, the head portion or the individual castings can be transported away by the holding device for further use.

In principle, the construction of the holding device may be of any desired type. According to the present invention, however, it is preferred to use a clamping device operated by a pressure medium. A clamping device of this See type, for example, one operated pneumatically, can be installed in an advantageous manner without particular expense, since compressed air is certainly available in metallurgical Works.

More particularly, it is proposed, according to the present invention, that the holding device should comprise two clamp jaws disposed on both sides of the individual casting and articulated like levers, on the flame cutting machine and that one end of each of the clamp jaws should be associated with the individual casting and the other end with a piston to which pressure is applied.

Furthermore, it is expedient for the ends of the clamp jaws associated with the individual casting to be constructed in such a manner that a twisting of the individual casting is impossible.

The clamp jaws may, for example, have comparatively large dimensions in the casting direction. For reasons of weight, however, it is preferred that the ends of the clamp jaws associated with the individual casting should, in each case, be forked and that at the end of each of the arms of the 'fork there should be secured a pin which, during the holding of the individual casting which has been cut off, engages with the individual casting, so that the latter is held at at least four points.

The two pistons to which pressure is applied may each be disposed in a separate cylinder independently of one another. Preferably, however, the two pistons to which pressure is applied should be slidable in a common cylinder and the pressure medium should be applied to the cylinder between the two pistons. This form of construction is preferred because of its simplicity and the little space which it requires.

For a better understanding of the present invention, one embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a continuous casting flame cutting machine in elevation; and

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view in the direction of the arrow A in FIGURE 1.

As can be seen from FIGURES 1 and 2, a continuous casting 10 is guided on a roller table comprising rollers 11. A continuous casting flame cutting machine 12 is disposed for travelling on rails 13 in the direction of the casting 10 and is fastened to the latter by means of a clamping device 14 operated by a pressure medium, so that the movement of the flame cutting machine 12 takes place synchronously with the movement of the continuous casting 10. The flame cutting machine 12 has two cutting torches 15, 16 which travel towards one another as far as a determined point during the cutting operation, the casting thereby being cut into from both sides. One torch then moves in the reverse direction, while the other completes the cut. The cutting points are designated by 17 in FIGURE 1. The distance between two cutting points 17, which constitutes the length of an individual casting, must correspond to at least twice the distance between two rollers 11 of the roller table in order to ensure the satisfactory further transport of the individual casting cut off.

The head portion 18 of the continuous casting 10, which is useless, has a comparatively short length compared with the individual castings. When the head piece 18- is cut off, there is, consequently, on the one hand, a danger that this piece will drop, so that, at the same time, the cut gaps will be narrowed, while, on the other hand, the head portion 18 may be tipped over sideways because the two cut gaps meet one another in an eccentric position, so that one side of the head portion 18 is slightly raised and may damage the cutting torch in question.

In order to eliminate these dangers, a holding device 19 is provided on the flame cutting machine, this device holding the head portion 18 approximately at the commencement of the cutting operation and releasing it only on completion of the cut. The separated head portion 18' then falls into a container 20 held in readiness.

The clamping device 19 comprises two jaws 21 articulated at the side of the flame cutting machine 12 in the manner of levers. The ends of these jaws 21, which are associated with the head portion 18 or with any individual casting, are forked, a pin 22 being fastened to each arm of the fork. The pins 22 engage with the head portion or individual casting and prevent it from dropping or twisting. The other ends of the jaw 21 are each connected to a respective piston 23. The two pistons are slidably mounted in a common pressure cylinder 24. The pressure medium is supplied between the two pistons 23 in a manner which is not illustrated. The pistons 23 and the associated ends of the jaws 21 are thereby moved outwards and the pins 22 are pressed firmly against the head portion 18.

The clamping device 14 previously mentioned may, of course, also be of similar construction to the holding device 19. The two devices 14, 19 are, in this case, advantageously connected to the same pressure medium system.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for cutting a continuous casting comprising means for moving the casting in a substantially horizontal direction, a flame cutting machine adapted to move synchronously with the casting, said flame cutting machine including burner means for cutting completely across the casting as the casting is moving whereby a portion of the casting will be cut off from the remainder of the casting, said flame cutting machine being provided with releasable holding and removal means for engaging the portion to be cut off before completion of the cutting operation and removing the cut oil portion after completion of the cutting operation, and said holding and removal means having a plurality of contact points disposed longitudinally of the path of motion of the portion to be cut 01f for engaging the portion to be cut off and preventing it from dropping and twisting during engagement thereof.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, including pressure medium means for operating said holding means.

3. An apparatus for cutting a continuous casting comprising means for moving the casting, a flame cutting machine adapted to move synchronously with the casting, said flame cutting machine including burner means for cutting completely across the casting as the casting is moving whereby a portion of the casting will be cut oil from the remainder of the casting, said flame cutting machine being provided with releasable holding means for engaging the portion to be out off before completion of the cutting operation, including pressure medium means for operating said holding means, said holding means including two clamp jaws adapted to be disposed on both sides of an individual casting, said jaws being connected to said flame cutting machine for articulation in a lever-like manner, and a piston associated with one end of each clamp jaw for disposing the other end of each clamp jaw against a casting.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, including twist preventing means at said other end of each clamp jaw for preventing the casting from twisting.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said other end of each clamp jaw is forked, at least two pins being connected to each forked end whereby the casting is engaged at at least four points to comprise said twist preventing means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3, including a corn mon cylinder, said pistons being slidably mounted in said common cylinder, and said pressure medium means being supplied to said cylinder between said pistons.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,443,805 5/ 1969 Greenberger. 2,163,697 6/1939 Strawn et al. 83-319 X 2,287,833 6/1942 Ridgway 83-319 X 3,107,404 10/1963 Armand et al. 164263 X 3,291,470 12/1966 Lotz.

FOREIGN PATENTS 184,308 1/1956 Austria.

I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner R. SPENCER ANNEAR, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 83-3l9; 164263 

